Argyranthemum plant named ‘Supacrest’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Supacrest’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; anemone-type inflorescence form with purple-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc florets.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Argyranthemum frutescenscultivar Supacrest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofArgyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Supacrest’.

The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. Theobjective of the program is to create and develop new compactArgyranthemum cultivars with numerous inflorescences, interestinginflorescence form and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Argyranthemum originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor in September, 2000, of the Argyranthemum frutescens cultivarSummer Melody, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,763, as the female,or seed, parent, with the Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Sam, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny ofthe stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Cobbitty,New South Wales, Australia in September, 2001. The selection of the newArgyranthemum was based on its attractive inflorescence form and rayfloret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia sinceSeptember, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this newArgyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Argyranthemum has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Supacrest’ and distinguishthe new Argyranthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants.    -   3. Freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per        plant.    -   4. Anemone inflorescence form with purple-colored ray florets        and yellow-colored disc florets.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent,the cultivar Summer Melody, primarily in inflorescence form and rayfloret coloration as plants of the cultivar Summer Melody havedouble-type inflorescences with pink-colored ray florets. In addition,plants of the new Argyranthemum are taller than plants of the cultivarSummer Melody. Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of themale parent, the cultivar Sam, in inflorescence form and ray floretcoloration as plants of the cultivar Sam have daisy-type inflorescencesand primrose-colored ray florets. In addition, plants of the newArgyranthemum are slightly more compact than plants of the cultivar Sam.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the cultivarSupacre, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filedconcurrently, primarily in floret coloration. In addition, plants of thenew Argyranthemum are more freely branching than plants of the cultivarSupacre.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of thecultivar Supaglow, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,158. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales,Australia, plants of the new Argyranthemum differed primarily fromplants of the cultivar Supaglow in ray and disc floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Argyranthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of typical flowering plants of ‘Supacrest’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Supacrest’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in an outdoornursery under full sunlight during the winter and spring with daytemperatures ranging from 15 to 24° C. and night temperatures rangingfrom 10 to 19° C. Plants were grown in one-gallon containers with twoplants per container. Plants were pinched one time about five weeksafter planting. Plants had been growing for about 16 weeks when thephotographs and description were taken. Color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar    Supacrest.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar            Summer Melody, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,763.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar            Sam, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About three weeks at 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.        -   Rooting description.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Inverted triangle; compact, upright and            mounded plant form with dense foliage and inflorescences            held above and beyond the foliage. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.        -   Plant width, single plant.—About 27.5 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About nine            primary lateral branches; each with about four secondary            lateral branches. Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Aspect: Upright to outwardly            spreading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Pinnatifid, deeply            and finely dissected. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire; deeply and finely dissected; sinuses parallel.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About 1.8 cm.            Petiole diameter: About 2.5 mm. Petiole texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing foliage,            upper surface: 137A. Developing foliage, lower surface:            137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and            lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces:            147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Anemone-type inflorescence form with ligulate            ray florets. Disc and ray florets develop acropetally on a            capitulum. Inflorescences held upright and outwardly on            terminal and axillary peduncles. Inflorescences positioned            perpendicular to the peduncles. Inflorescences persistent.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower            from spring to early fall in Southern California; plants            flower continuous during this period.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about ten days            on the plant.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about 12 open            inflorescences per lateral branch.        -   Fragrance.—Strong, unpleasant.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.2 cm. Depth (height):            About 1 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.8 cm. Receptacle            height: About 6 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.3 cm.        -   Inflorescence buds, at stage of showing color.—Height: About            1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 80C.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 35 arranged            in two whorls. Shape: Ligulate. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width:            About 5 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Aspect:            Initially upright; when mature, horizontal to slightly            upright. Color: When opening, upper surface: 80C. When            opening, lower surface: 78D. Fully opened, upper surface:            78C to 78D; towards the base, 155D; color becoming close to            75D with development eventually fading to close to 155D.            Fully opened, lower surface: 75C.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at the center of the            inflorescence. Quantity per inflorescence: About 80. Shape:            Tubular, enlarged; apex, five-pointed; base, fused. Length:            About 8 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter, base: Less            than 1 mm. Color: Apex: 9A; color becoming closer to 158C            with development. Mid-section and base: 155D.        -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Appearance: Scale-like;            margins, papery. Quantity per inflorescence: About 20.            Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptic.            Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Moderately strong; wiry. Aspect: Upright            to about 45° from vertical. Length, terminal inflorescence:            About 8.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Quantity per floret: Five. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color. 15A. Amount of            pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 15A. Gynoecium: Present on ray            and disc florets. Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length:            About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 14A.            Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary color:            157B. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Argyranthemums has not been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions.-   Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have    been observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures from    −1 to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Supacrest’,as illustrated and described.